Alleged Drunken Driver Indicted In N.J. Crash That Killed Firefighter
ELIZABETH, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An Elizabeth, N.J. man has been indicted in an alleged drunken driving crash that killed an FDNY firefighter last fall.
Anthony Marsal, 24, was indicted on charges of second-degree vehicular homicide, Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Wednesday. He was accused in the Oct. 11 wreck that killed firefighter John Monteverde, 57, of Whitestone, Queens.
The crash happened around 5:15 a.m. Oct. 11, at North Avenue at Vivian Terrace in Union Township.
Monteverde was heading from Pennsylvania, where he also had a home, to work at Engine 159 on Staten Island when he was struck and killed by a Honda Accord, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported at the time. Monteverde was wearing a bright-colored reflective vest, but was still struck.
Prosecutors said Marsal was driving the Accord, and was making a left turn off Vivian Terrace onto North Avenue when he cut off Monteverde's 2004 Suzuki motorcycle.
Monteverde was thrown from the motorcycle and died of multiple internal and external injuries, prosecutors said.
Following the crash, officers noticed a smell of alcohol on Marsal's breath and noticed his eyes were bloodshot, prosecutors said. He was arrested and ordered held on $100,000 bail.
Toxicology tests revealed Marsal's blood alcohol limit was nearly three times the legal limit just after he was arrested, and also indicated that he had used cocaine in the hours prior to the crash, prosecutors said.
Monteverde was a 31-year veteran of the FDNY. He left behind three adult children.
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